Gunman, Who Aimed at Bystanders, Surrenders After SWAT Standoff

A man who fired shots when officers arrived to investigate reports he had been seen waving a gun on a balcony and pointing the weapon at people was taken into custody after barricading himself at a Van Nuys apartment building today, authorities said.

Officers were sent to the 15900 block of Sherman Way about 1 p.m., said Los Angeles police Officer Norma Eisenman.

They located the man and tried to persuade him to surrender but he refused and a SWAT team was called to the location, police said.

No injuries were reported.

Capt. Lillian Carranza of the LAPD’s Van Nuys Station told reporters at the scene that the suspect fired “a few rounds” when police arrived on the scene.

One resident was seen running from the apartment building after the standoff began and another was evacuated down a ladder from an apartment balcony.

News reports identified the man as Alfredo Gutierrez, whose parents were at the scene trying to talk him into surrendering, but police have not released his identity.

Loudspeaker announcements using the man’s name and ordering him to drop the weapon and surrender could be heard, according to reports from the scene.

Broadcast video first showed the man on an apartment balcony and later in an exposed stairwell.

He surrendered and was taken into custody about 5:40 p.m., according to the LAPD.

Sherman Way was closed between Woodley and Haskell avenues as the standoff continued, according to news reports.

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City News Service

Photo Credit: Twitter user // luis ‏@RunGomez

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